The prince assured them he had every intention to go back to the castle and switch back with Mickey before the day was over and all would go back to normal for everyone. The siblings looked at each other. So long as the prince was true to his word and didn't leave Mickey in his place for too long that someone noticed there didn't seem to be a problem. Besides, even though this was a dream world, it wouldn't be bad continue exercising the 'no meddling' rule.
The prince also wanted to know about them too. He didn't realize just what kind of citizens lived in his kingdom and was even more (strangely) delighted to learn they and their creature companions actually weren't from around there. He was happy to learn there was more to know than dull trigonometry lectures and fencing lessons.
Before they could be pressed for more, there was a commotion down the street. A cow woman was crying for help as two guards tried to seize her hen. Two children were running around and kicking the guards in the shins, demanding they leave her alone.
"Now relax lady, it's for the king." One guard sneered.
"Yeah, the king." The second guard added.
"But it's all we have!" The woman pleaded.
"Well then, it's all we'll take." The two guards thought that was an immensely amusing joke.
The prince bristled at witnessing such treatment of a helpless woman and her family. "Halt!" He demanded. "As your royal prince I command you to unhand that hen!"
The guards looked at each other and started laughing hysterically.
"What is so amusing?" The prince demanded.
"Oh forgive me," One of the guards said as he picked up a pumpkin from the back of a wagon. "I think ye fergotcher crown!"
Before Rachel or Bryan could react to help the weasel smashed the pumpkin over the princes' head and walked away in a state of hysterical giggles and chortles. And they still made off with the cart of food and the reluctant hen.
"When I return to the palace you'll pay for this!" Prince Edward promised, shaking the pumpkin pieces off of himself.
Rachel made a gesture like swinging a baseball bat forcefully in the direction of weasels. "You ok?" She asked.
"I'm fine!" He answered in a frustrated huff.
Grateful to have had someone stand up for them the two children helped the prince to his feet.
"I can't believe it," The prince said appalled. "Stealing in the kings' name!"
"This happens all the time." A little pig boy told him matter of factly.
"Yeah, the king takes all our food. We're hungry." Another mouse child said.
"Think we should have told him about this before now?" Bryan asked his sister. That's what the townsfolk had been telling them, only it wasn't until then did they think it was something the prince should know. Still, moments of stupidity hit everyone, no way around it.
The key bearers could see a steely coldness in the princes' eyes. He wasn't going to stand for such treatment in his kingdom. Then they heard a ruckus from across the street. A pig man was coming by in a horse drawn cart packed to the gills with all kinds of fresh food.
"Outta the way ye slumps! Make way fer da royal provisona'. Otta the way! C'mon move it!" He was shouting and cracking his whip (not so much to make the horse move as to keep people from getting close and pick things off the cart). There were also two evil looking unicorn Nightmares, but not a UniGlow walking close behind the cart on either side.
"Come with me!" The prince told the duo and he marched in the way of the rider and his cart. "Halt!"
The horse skidded to a stop.
"I am the prince! And I command you surrender your entire inventory!"
"And I'm de queen mudda! Be off wit' cha!" The pig man snapped back.
"Will this help?" Prince Edward held out his hand to show his golden ring with the royal crest, proving he had the authority to make such an order.
The coachman gasped, as did all present that had heard his claim. Every peasant in the street murmured with awe and bowed or curtsied. Rachel and Bryan and their Spirits took out the two Electricorns around the cart. Once the Nightmares were gone, the prince jumped on and started distributing food amongst the citizens. It didn't take long before a huge crowd had gathered. Rachel and Bryan stuck close to the cart for crowd control and to help pass out the food. Best keep order among a group of hungry people when there was a feast to be had. Bryan caught a glimpse of Goofy out of the corner of his eye and waved him over.
"Whatca got goin' on here?" Goofy asked Bryan as he got closer. It was then he heard a woman thank 'Mickey' by addressing him as 'Sire'. "Gawrsh, Mick's flipped his wig."
Bryan wasn't sure whether it was his place to tell Goofy Mickey wasn't Mickey so Goofy didn't go on thinking his best friend had developed a heroic complex or something. But before Bryan even had a chance to explain anything a commotion across the square got his attention. Citizens gasped as a dozen hissing Necho Cats spat and swiped at them, parting the way for the incoming group of guards.
"Alrigh'! Alrigh'! Out of the way! Clear out!" The lead guard called to the crowd.
"He's the one that showed me de ring, sir." The pig man told them. "And deys de ones that beat my royal escorts!"
"You there!" The lead guard yelled at the prince. "You're under arrest!"
The sentence had barely left his lips when the townsfolk started throwing food at the guards.
"Run for it boy!" A man from the crowd shouted.
All was chaos. The Necho Cats attacked anyone and anything in sight. The guards had their swords and spears at the ready. Food was flying all over. Rachel and Bryan tried to have Prince Edward's back while making sure the Necho Cats didn't hurt anyone else. The prince fought his way past several guards but in the end was cornered. Goofy was the first to see his peril and rushed to help.
"Hang on Mick! I'm comin'!"
On his way to the princes aid he got tripped up on a cart of barrels. He pinwheeled as he rolled on the barrels, plowed through the guards, crashed into the prince, got his nose stuck in the banner of a cart which acted like a rubber band and sent them rolling back the other way, plowing through the guards a second time before crashing into the food cart. The crash startled the horse and it took off down the street. Rachel jumped on Fantasia and Bryan got on White and followed the runaway cart. The guards lay in a dazed heap in the snow.
Later that day, deep in the hidden catacombs beneath the castle, Captain Pete sat in the luxury of a stolen feast, surrounded by hoarded wealth pillaged from the poor villagers. He wasn't quite listening to his guards' story until he got to the really juicy part.
"Now, I may be losin' my mind, Capt'n. And I know that you have said that time and time again. But all I know is, he's acted like a nobleman and he 'ad the royal ring!"
"The ring? So it was the prince I booted out."
The weasel guard snorted into his drink. "You threw out the prince! You're gonna get it, you're gonna get it, nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah! Gulk!" He choked as Pete grabbed him by the throat.
"Not if he doesn't come back alive!"
His laugh echoed through the dungeon.